STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (2019) PREVIEW 

It is four weeks until the premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and four weeks since the final trailer dropped. It is nothing short of remarkable. Since then, an unbelievable amount of reaction and speculation has surfaced. Now, Entertainment Weekly sneaks in to have the final say with new footage, photos, and interviews. Once again, Star Wars fans are blowing up the internet with their excitement and speculation. Specifically, there is the question of the relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren.

Will Kylo Ren turn to the light?
How has Palpatine remained alive all this time?
Do Kylo and Ren form another alliance to defeat him?
Where has the Empire been hiding?
Where is the First Order?

There is a significant absence of a First Order presence in the Final Trailer. A majority of the footage revolves around Palpatine and the Empire. That shouldn't suggest that the First Order fails to remains a clear and present danger to the galaxy. In fact, it seems like everywhere the Resistance finds refuge, the First Order always follows. The speculation in the Teaser Reaction that Kylo and Rey encounter each other more than once is an understatement. In fact, there is hardly a moment when Kylo and Rey are absent from each other. It's unnerving. Every Rey turns, there is Kylo.

So much is happening within the story of this final chapter, 155 minutes hardly seems like an adequate runtime for everything J.J. Abrams intends to wrap up. Not to mention, the mysterious ending in store. What is the endgame?

One way to determine the endgame is to figure the order of the events thus far by following Rey's personal journey. The best way to do that is by reading her face. Daisy Ridley admits in her interview that Rey continues to struggle with her sense of purpose into Episode IX. She is not a fully realized Jedi. This is evident by the extreme rage she emotes in her duel with Kylo Ren.

This is where the Teaser speculation fall short. At first, I theorized the ruins would be a final scene. Instead, their duel may occur in the beginning. Whatever she seeks in the ruins is crucial for the future success of the war. Perhaps, an ancient dagger?

1. The Resistance hides on the jungle planet where Rey trains.

2. The Resistance flies to the desert planet to recruit the horse tribe.

3. Rey scavenges the Death Star ruins for a dagger/answers for Palpatine's impending return.

4. Kylo confronts her. They fight, they talk, and he takes her with him.

5. On Kylo's starship, Rey finds Vader's helmet and destroys it.

6. The Falcon comes for her and Kylo lets her go.

7. Palpatine and his ships emerge.

8. The final battle ensues.

9. Kylo and Rey confront Palpatine in the Outer Rim.

10. Kylo is redeemed amid Rey's confrontation with Palpatine.

This chapter begins with the Kylo Ren and Rey fighting on the Death Star and ends with them fighting Palpatine together. While Kylo and Rey fight a spiritual battle against an ancient evil, the Resistance fights the Imperial Star Destroyers in space. They must protect the physical realm from an evil, whether it is the First Order or the Empire.

The war will finally end. By then, the heroes will figure how to live their lives after the war. Leia and Poe bring new management to the galaxy. Finn finds a home on the desert planet with the horse tribe. Rey becomes a fully realized Jedi. Will Kylo survive? It is difficult to say. If he does, he will find a home at Rey's side. After the war is done, there is plenty of work to do.

THE STAR WARS CHRONICLES